Method of making ratchet bars



April 4, 1939.

F. W. SCHMIDT METHOD OF MAKING RATCHET BARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March21, 1936 WcfcZm/W Guam,

April 4, 1939. v RW HM D 2,153,524

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT RS Filed March 21, 1936 2 sheetssheet 2 PatentedApr. 4, 1939 UNITED STATES METHOD OF MAKING RATCHET BARS Frank W.Schmidt, Jackson, Mich., assignor to Ryerson & Haynes, Inc., Jackson,Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application March 21,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to the making of shafts or supporting columns forratchet jacks and more particularly to a method of making shafts orsupporting columns for bumper ratchet jacks 5 of the character disclosedin my copending application Serial No. 27,851 filed June 22, 1935,

Patent No. 2,041,376, granted May 19, 1936.

The supporting column which is made according to the present inventioncomprises a tubular construction having ratchet teeth coined on one sidethereof. In its preferred form the supportting column is trapezoidal incross-section having the ratchet teeth on the longer of the two parallelsides. In manufacture the teeth are coined into fiat continuousstripstock and the column is then given its final form by passing the stockthrough a series of forming rollers.

A feature of the invention is the cutting of the column as it comes fromthe forming machine into relatively short lengths comprising theseparate supporting columns. The tubular column cannot be sheared off assuch an operation would crush the section adjacent the cut. Crushing iseliminated by providing a series of transverse slots by punching outnarrow strips of the material, spaced apart a distance equal to thelength of a finished column, which comprises an entire width of the topor overhanging portion of the continuous column when it is in ahorizontal position as it comes from the forming machine. A Wedge shapedshearing blade is then successively inserted in the slots and actuatedto shear off the sides and bottoms of the column thus parting from thecontinuous column, finished columns. In practice the slots are placed inthe strip stock as the first step, just before the ratchet teeth arecoined and the parting is of course the last step.

An object of the invention thus is to provide a method for formingratchet jack supporting columns which comprises coining ratchet teeth inflat stock and then rolling the stock into a closed tubular bar havingtheteeth on one side thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of cutting amember of irregular crosssection having an overhanging portion whichcomprises punching out the overhanging section and. shearing off theremaining portion.

50 These and other objects will be apparent from the followingspecification when taken with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the machine used to form and cut offsupporting columns,

Fig. 2 is a section on the line IIII of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of a portion of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1 with the parting diemoved to central position,

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional detail of the punch and die disclosing thesame in operation,

1936, Serial No. 70,071

Fig. 6 is a section of the strip stock having the punching operationperformed,

Fig. 7 is a partial section of the coining rolls in operation,

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are partial sections of additional forming rolls inoperation,

Fig. 11 is a partial section of the last forming roll for closing thetubular bar into its finished form,

Fig. 12 is. a fragmentary detail of the parting mechanism, and

Fig. 13 is a portion of the finished tubular bar illustrating thelocation of the slot punched out to assist in the parting operation.

Referring particularly to the drawings the forming machine operates oncontinuous strip stock I and comprises broadly punching mechanism 2,coining mechanism 3, forming mechanism 4 and parting mechanism 5. Thepunching mechanism 2 and the parting mechanism 5 are of the flying sheartype and the coining mechanism 3 arid the forming mechanism 4 comprisedriven ro ls.

The continuous strip stock I is fed into the machine from the right asviewed in Fig. 1, from a roll or any suitable source. The first step inoperation is to punch out a transverse slot 6 as shown in detail inFigs. 5 and 6 from the center i of the stock I. The punching mechanism 2for this purpose may take the form of any known or suitable flying shearpunch press and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has a c-frame I in which ismounted a crank shaft having a crank 8 and a fly wheel 9. A usualconnecting rod I8 driven by the crank 8 carries a ram assembly II. Theram assembly It includes a slideway I2, see Fig. 2, and is guided forvertical reciprocation by plungers i3 acting in bores I4 in a frame I5.A slide I6 mounted for horizontal reciprocation in the slideway I2 andvertically reciprocable with the ram assembly II has mounted thereon apunch Ill. The slide I6 is guided in its vertical reciprocation with theram assembly I I by plungers I1 acting in bores I9 in a sliding bolsterplate 20. A die 2| and a stripper plate 22' for coacting with the punchI 8 are mounted on the sliding bolster plate 20. It will thus be obviousthat as the entire mechanism is operated to punch a. slot 6 in the stockII the ram assembly II together with the punch I8 will move verticallywhile at the same time the punch I8 together with its die 2| andassociated structure may move horizontally with the stock I.

In order to move the sliding bolster plate 20, the die ZI and the punchI8 with the stock I at the time the slot 6 is to be formed, a catch 22mounted on a pivoted arm 23 is provided. The arm 23 is mounted on abracket 24 having a slideway 25 for receiving a guiding bar 26 rigidlysupported from the press base 21. A bar 28 connects the bracket 24 tothe sliding bolster plate 20 for movement therewith. Mounted on theouter end of the guiding bar 26 is a knockout block 29 for camming upthe inclined outer end 30 of the arm 23 to raise the catch 22 as the arm23 is moved by the stock I to a predetermined position relative to theknockout block 29.

In operation, as the stock I passes through the punching mechanism 2,its front edge or a slot 6, depending on whether a piece of stock isjust beginning or has started long enough to have at least one slot 6punched, engages the catch 22, which normally is held in its extremeright position together with the punching die 2| and associated slidingmechanism by the spring 33 anchored to the bracket 24 and the press base21. Then as the stock is fed into the machine or drawn therethrough bythe coining mechanism 3 and the forming mechanism 4, the bracket 24 ismoved to the left at stock moving speed, and moves with it, by means ofthe bar 28, the slide IS, the punch IS, the die 2| and their associatedsliding structure, against the tension of the spring 33. This movementcontinues until a pivoted latch 34 carried by the sliding bolster plate20 engages press tripping mechanism 35 to cause the ram assembly II tomove downwardly to drive the punch I8 through the stock I. As the stockand punch are moving at the same speed no difficulty is encountered.Upon the completion of the punching, the timing of the entire mechanismis such that the extension 30 of the arm 23 strikes the knockout block29 releasing the catch 22 allowing it to be returned to its extremeright position by the spring 33 to initiate the next punching cycle uponits engagement with the next slot 6.

The stock passes from the punching mechanism 2 to the coining mechanism3 which, by means of the rolls 4| and 42 shown in Figs. 1 and 7, notonly coins ratchet teeth 40, see Fig. 13, in the stock I but also turnsdown the edges of the stock to define the portions to constitute thebottom side of the finished bar, that is the side opposite the sidehaving the ratchet teeth. The rolls 4| and 42 are mounted on shafts 43and 44, respectively, which in turn are mounted in a frame 45.

Power for operating the rolls 4| and 42 and also the forming mechanism 4is supplied by an electric motor 46 supported by a suitable base 41. Themotor 46 through a gear 48 drives a gear 49 which through its shaft 50drives a sprocket wheel The sprocket wheel 5| drives a chain belt 52which through a second sprocket 53, drives the shaft 43 of the roll 4|.Gears 54 and 55 mounted on the shafts 43 and 44, respectively,synchronize the rotation of the rolls 4| and 42.

The partially formed stock I passes from the coining mechanism 3 to theforming mechanism 4 which comprises four pairs of rolls 63, GI, 62 and63 acting on the stock I in the order named. Partial sections of therolls 60, 5|, 62 and 93 are shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 11, respectively.The rolls 60, BI, 62 and 63 are mounted in a frame 64 and are driven, aswill be described, from the gear 54 mounted on the shaft 43 of thecoining mechanism '3.

A bracket G5 on the frame 45 supports a shaft L 66 on which is mounted agear 61 meshing with the gear 54. Also mounted on the shaft 66 is asprocket Wheel 68 driving a chain belt 69 engaging with a sprocket wheelH3 mounted on a shaft II adjacent the pair of rollers 60 in the frame64. A gear 75 on the shaft II drives a pair of meshing gears 16 whichdrive the rolls 5!] in synchronism. Pairs of gears like gears 16 driverolls SI, 62 and 63 and are driven one from the other, respectively, bythe gears ID, TI and 18.

Reference to Fig. 8 illustrates the forming operation performed by thepair of rolls St. The partially formed stock fed into the pair of rolls6|! has had its outer edges turned down by the rollers 4| and 42. Therolls 58 complete the defining of the different sides of the finishedpair by bending the stock at each side of the ratchet teeth 46. It willbe obvious from inspection of Fig. 8 that the side of the finished barincluding the ratchet teeth 40 is defined and the sides adjacent to saidsides are defined. The rolls GI and 62 as disclosed in Figs. 9 and 10continue the forming initiated by the rolls 4| and 42 as disclosed inFig. '7 and the rolls 6! as disclosed in Fig. 8. The rolls 63, asdisclosed in Fig. 11 complete the formng operation by closing theportions which originally constituted the edges of the stock I to form atubular bar 19.

The completed bar 19 passes from the forming mechanism 4 to the partingmechanism 5 which is generally the same as the punching mechanism 2.

The parting mechanism comprises a base 85 on which is mounted a usualC-frame 86 in which is mounted a crank shaft having a crank 81 and a fiywheel 88. The usual connecting rod 89 driven by the crank 8? carries aram assembly 93. The ram assembly 93 includes a slide way 9|, see Fig.l, and is guided for vertical reciprocation by plungers 92 acting inbores 93 in the frame 94. A slide I08 mounted for horizontalreciprocation in the slide way 3i and vertically reciprocable with theram assembly 96 has mounted thereon a parting punch IElI. The slide Iceis guided in its vertical reciprocation with the ram assembly 96 byplungers I62 acting in bores I33 in a sliding bolster plate I34. A dieIE5 and a stripper plate I36 for coacting with the parting punch If aremounted on the sliding bolster plate me. It will, thus, be obvious thatas in the case of the corresponding structure of the punching mechanism2, as the entire parting mechanism is operated to part the finishedtubular bar '19, the ram assembly 93 together with the parting punchIIlI will move vertically while at the same time the parting punch ||J|together with its die I05 and associated structure may move horizontallywith the finished bar I9.

As'illustrated particularly in Figs. 12 and 13 the slot 6 extendsentirely across the top surface of the finished bar if! when in itshorizontal position as it comes from its forming mechanism 4 and at thelocation of the slot, there are no overhanging portions of the tubularbar 19. After the finished tubular bar is fed from the forming mechanism4 into the parting mechanism 5 a pair of fingers IIl'I guided by pinsI08 in slots H19 and yieldably urged by springs B yieldably bear againstthe upper sides of the tubular bar 19 in such a manner that when theslot 6 moves opposite them, they are urged into the slot 6 and arecarried by the same at the same speed as the tubular bar '19 istraveling. After the fingers I01, which are mounted on the slidingbolster plate I04, engage in the slot 6, the slide I00, the partingpunch IIJI and the die I05 are all moved together with the tubular bar19. 'When the slot 6 reaches a'position in the parting mechanism 5substantially beneath the parting punch ll a latch I I pivoted on thesliding bolster plate I04 engages with the press tripping mechanism H6to cause the ram assembly 90 to drive the parting punch Illl into theslot 6. The parting punch Hll is wedge shaped in configuration andaccordingly as it enters the slot 6 it drives the pins I07 outwardlyagainst the action of the springs H0 and continues downwardly to partthe tubular bar 19 at the slot 6. It should be observed that as thefingers I01, which result in the parting punch HH and its coacting dieI05, moving at the speed of the tubular bar 19 so that a flying shearmay be accomplished, variations in the length of the tubular bar betweenadjacent slots 6 will not hinder the proper entrance of the partingpunch IOI into the slot 6 and that therefore regardless of suchvariations in length between the adjacent slots 6 as may be caused bylack of uniformity in the metal formed either as to hardless, thicknessor other characteristics the parting punch l0! will always separate thetubular bar 19 at a slot 6. In order to return the sliding bolster plateI04 and its associated parting mechanism to its normal right handposition after a parting operation has been completed a spring Illconnected to a bar H8 afiixed to the sliding bolster plate I04 and thebase 85 is provided.

While particular flying shear mechanism has been disclosed for punchingthe slot 6 and parting the finished tubular bar 19 into predeterminedlengths; no invention is claimed in these constructions and any suitablemechanism for performing the respective operations may be employed.

I claim:

1. The method of forming members of overhanging crushable cross-sectionwhich comprises feeding strip stock of continuous lengths, piercing thesame at predetermined spaced intervals to remove a transverse portionwhich after the forming of the finished member would overhang, thespacing of each of the removed portions being determined by the spacingof each portion removed before it, subjecting the stock to formingoperations to form a bar having the cross-section of the finishedmember, supporting said bar for shearing and successively inserting awedge shaped shearing blade in the openings left by said removedportions to part the formed bar at each opening, each insertion of thewedge shaped shearing blade into a pierced opening being controlled bythe position of the opening entered.

2. The method of forming tubular ratchet bars which comprises feedingstrip stock of continuous length, piercing said stock at predeterminedspaced intervals to provide a series of spaced transverse slots, coiningratchet teeth along the center of said stock, forming said stock into atubular bar having the ratchet teeth along one side thereof, said slotsextending across the side on which said teeth are disposed, theunpierced portion of said strip adjacent each of said openings extendingbetween and connecting adjoining sections of said bar at opposite sidesof each of said openings, supporting said bar for shearing andsuccessively inserting a wedge shaped shearing tool in said slots topart the formed bar at each opening, whereby said tubular bar is shearedinto a plurality of sections without crushing the same.

3. A machine for forming a metal conduit which comprises means forfeeding a continuous strip of flat metal into the machine, means forsuccessively piercing the strip to remove predetermined portionsthereof, means for forming the pierced flat strip into a continuouslength of conduit, the unpierced portion of said strip adjacent each ofsaid openings extending between and connecting adjoining sections ofsaid conduit at opposite sides of each of said openings, and meansincluding a shearing tool for successive insertion in the piercedopenings to part the conduit at each opening while maintaining theformed cross section of said conduit.

4. The method of forming tubular bars of predetermined length, whichcomprises feeding strip stock of continuous length, piercing the same atpredetermined spaced intervals, subjecting said stock to a formingoperation to form a continuous tubular bar, the unpierced portion ofsaid strip adjacent each of said openings extending between andconnecting adjoining sections of said bar at opposite sides of saidopening, and successively inserting an internally acting shearing toolin each of said openings to part the formed tube at each opening,whereby said tubular bar is sheared into a plurality of sections withoutcrushing the same.

5. The method of forming hollow tubular bars of predetermined length,which comprises feeding strip stock of continuous length, formingtransverse slots in the same at spaced intervals, subjecting said stockto forming operations to form a continuous tubular bar, the unpiercedportion of said strip adjacent each of said openings extending betweenand connecting the adjoining sections of said bar at opposite sides ofeach of said openings, supporting said formed bar against outwardpressure and inserting a wedge-shaped shearing tool successively in saidslots to part the formed tube at each slot, whereby said tubular bar issheared into a plurality of sections without crushing the same.

6. The method of forming members of overhanging crushable cross-section,which comprises feeding strip stock of continuous length, piercing thesame at predetermined spaced intervals to remove transverse portionswhich after the forming of the finished member would overhang,subjecting the stock to forming operations to form a bar having thecross-section of the finished member, the unpierced portion of saidstrip adjacent each of said openings extending between and connectingthe adjoining sections of said bar at opposite sides of each of saidopenings, supporting said bar at its sides and the bottom, andsuccessively inserting a wedge-shaped shearing blade in the openingsleft by said removed portions to part the formed bar at each opening,whereby said finished bar is sheared into a plurality of sectionswithout crushing the same.

'7. The method of forming tubular bars of predetermined length, whichcomprises feeding strip stock of continuous length, piercing the same atpredetermined spaced intervals, subjecting said stock to formingoperations to form a continuous tubular bar, the unpierced portion ofsaid strip adjacent said openings extending between and connectingadjoining sections of said bar at opposite sides of said openings, andsuccessively shearing the tubular bar at the pierced openings to providea plurality of bars of predetermined length.

FRANK W. SCHMIDT.

